JP4802483B2 - Gas supply device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a gas supply device that supplies a predetermined gas into a liquid in a container, and a water purifier, an aquaculture device, a water tank, and a bathtub using the device.

  As a conventional technology of this type, an oxygen tank for an aquarium fish tank is known.

An example thereof will be described with reference to the drawings.
In FIG. 7, 1 is an oxygen replenisher, and the air compressed by the compressed air generator (not shown) is filled instantly through the compressed air conveying tube 2.

  The filled compressed air is discharged into the water in the form of fine bubbles through the crazed breathable film 3 provided in the oxygen replenisher 1.

  The craze-containing breathable film 3 will be described with reference to FIG.

In the figure, 4 is a craze formed in the thickness direction of the sheet, and it is described that a gas such as oxygen, nitrogen or water vapor passes through this craze zone. (Patent Document 1)
In addition, there is a conventional example of a container for transporting live fish using the same crazed breathable film, and it is described that fine bubbles are discharged into a water tank as in Patent Document 1. (Patent Document 2)
JP 2003-102325 A JP 2003-153644 A

  However, such a breathable film used in the conventional technique supplies fine bubbles such as oxygen in the liquid, that is, bubbles, and most of the supplied bubbles are dissolved in the liquid. It had the subject of passing through the liquid and being released into the atmosphere.

  This invention solves the said subject, and it aims at making the gas concentration in a liquid high by melt | dissolving gas in the part which a liquid contacts a gas separation membrane.

  The present invention includes a container for storing a liquid, gas supply means for supplying a gas to be contained in the liquid, and a discharge unit that is disposed in the container and discharges the gas that has flowed in from the gas supply means through the communication pipe into the liquid. And a gas separation membrane is provided in the gas discharge portion of the discharge unit.

  As described above, the liquid portion and the gas portion are partitioned by a non-porous membrane gas separation membrane made of a polymer, so that the liquid is balanced through the gas separation membrane according to the gas partial pressure of the gas portion. Since the action of dissolution is achieved, a liquid satisfying a predetermined dissolved gas concentration can be obtained without generating bubbles or the like.

  According to the above configuration, the gas concentration in the liquid is efficiently set to a predetermined value by dissolving the gas from the gas separation membrane to the liquid so as to supplement the gas consumed in the liquid without releasing the gas into the atmosphere. The concentration can be kept.

An embodiment of the present invention includes a container for storing a liquid, a gas supply unit including a gas separation unit and a pump for supplying a gas to be contained in the liquid, and using a gas separation membrane for separating a specific gas. And a discharge unit provided with a discharge unit for dissolving the gas into the liquid, and a connection pipe for introducing the gas from the gas supply means is connected to the discharge unit, and the gas discharge unit is connected to the discharge unit. A gas supply device , wherein the same gas separation membrane as that used in the gas separation unit is provided and sealed .

  Thus, by partitioning the liquid portion and the gas portion with a non-porous gas separation membrane made of a polymer, the liquid reaches equilibrium via the gas separation membrane according to the gas partial pressure of the gas portion. Because it works to dissolve in the liquid, it is possible to obtain a liquid that satisfies a predetermined dissolved gas concentration without generating bubbles, etc., so that the gas that has been released into the atmosphere as bubbles is suppressed. Therefore, the gas can be supplied into the liquid more efficiently than in the past.

  Moreover, since the solubility of the gas with respect to the liquid is determined by the partial pressure of the gas, the dissolved amount of the gas in the liquid can be increased by increasing the pressure of the gas supply means. Therefore, by adjusting the pressure of the gas supply means so that the same amount as the amount of gas consumed is dissolved, a constant pressure difference is always generated, so that the gas concentration in the liquid can be kept constant. It becomes possible.

  That is, it is only necessary to supply the gas in the amount consumed in the liquid, and it is not necessary to prepare an unnecessary gas other than dissolving in the liquid.

The embodiment of the present invention also includes a container for storing liquid, a circulation path for circulating the liquid in the container through a pump, and a gas separation membrane for supplying a gas to be contained in the liquid and separating a specific gas. A gas supply unit including a gas separation unit and a pump used, and a discharge unit provided in the circulation path and provided with a discharge unit for dissolving the gas into the liquid in the circulation path. A gas supply device characterized in that a communication pipe through which gas from a gas supply means flows is connected to the unit, and the same gas separation membrane as the gas separation membrane used in the gas separation unit is provided in the gas discharge portion and sealed. .

  With such a configuration, by consuming the gas in the liquid in the container, the liquid having a reduced gas concentration in the liquid is supplied to the circulation path using the pump. Liquid with reduced concentration flows.

  As a result, by continuing to apply a predetermined pressure difference, the gas is dissolved and supplied from the gas separation membrane to the liquid so that the gas concentration in the liquid becomes a constant value.

  In particular, in this embodiment, since a circulating flow is always generated in the circulation path, a liquid in which more gas is consumed is supplied to the gas separation membrane than in the above embodiment. This promotes the dissolving action of the gas on the surface.

  Next, in the embodiment of the present invention, the gas sealed in the gas supply means is oxygen or carbon dioxide.

  By setting it as such a gas supply apparatus, the gas supplied into a liquid can be made into oxygen or a carbon dioxide, and an oxygen-enriched liquid or a carbon dioxide-enriched liquid can be provided, respectively.

Moreover, embodiment of this invention uses these gas supply apparatuses for a water purifier.
In this way, by using it in a water purifier, for example, if the gas to be supplied is oxygen, it becomes possible to provide oxygen-enriched drinking water, and the refreshing effect of the human body by generally known oxygen water Can be expected.

  Next, in the embodiment of the present invention, these gas supply devices are used in a culture device or a water tank.

  In this way, when used in an aquaculture device or a water tank, for example, if the gas to be supplied is oxygen, it is possible to provide water with a constant oxygen concentration. Oxygen can be efficiently supplied to living organisms such as fish.

  Moreover, since the gas concentration can be kept constant by adjusting the supply gas concentration and gas pressure as the characteristics of the gas separation membrane, there are many organisms such as aquaculture equipment or fish in the aquarium. Regardless, the optimal oxygen concentration for the organism can be maintained.

  Further, since the supplied bubbles are not released into the atmosphere unlike the conventional apparatus, the oxygen supply efficiency is improved, and energy saving as the whole system can be promoted.

  Next, the embodiment of the present invention uses this gas supply device for a bathtub.

  In this way, it is possible to replenish carbon dioxide that escapes from the surface of hot water by using it in the bathtub, so that it is possible to realize a bathtub that can always provide hot water with a constant concentration of carbon dioxide. The bath can be expected to be effective.

Example 1
Detailed embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  In FIG. 1, 5 is a container for storing the liquid 6. The gas to be supplied to the liquid 6 from the gas supply means 8 filled with gas is sent to the discharge unit 7 provided in the liquid 6 through the communication pipe 9.

  First, various combinations of the liquid 6 and the container 5 can be considered depending on the purpose. For example, when used in a water purifier, the liquid 6 is water for drinking, and the container 5 is a metal that forms a water purifier. A container made of resin or resin is used.

  Moreover, if the liquid 6 is comprised with seawater and the container 5 is comprised with the container which has a heat insulation function, the aquaculture apparatus which can be used for the conveyance of the fish taken in the sea can be provided.

  Furthermore, if the liquid 6 is made of fresh water and the container 5 is made of glass or resin, the inside of the container can be seen through, it can be used for breeding ornamental fish such as goldfish and tropical fish.

  Next, the gas separation membrane 10 used for the discharge unit 7 will be described with reference to FIG.

  This gas separation membrane 10 is composed of a polymer membrane 11 formed of a polymer mainly composed of a copolymer of polysiloxane and styrene on a nonwoven fabric, and the polymer chain 12 forming the polymer vibrates thermally. A gap 13 through which the gas passes is generated.

  Further, by providing a pressure difference on both sides of the gas separation membrane 10, the gas 14 is dissolved in the gap 13 formed in the gas separation membrane 10 from the high pressure side according to Henry's law, and dissolved according to Fick's law. The diffused gas 14 diffuses in the gas separation membrane 10 and then desorbs to the low pressure side.

  Therefore, as shown in FIG. 1, when the discharge unit 7 using the gas separation membrane 10 is provided in the liquid 6 and the predetermined gas 14 is supplied from the gas supply means 8, the predetermined gas 14 existing in the liquid 6 is provided. When the dissolved gas concentration does not reach the saturation concentration, the predetermined gas 14 tries to dissolve into the liquid 6 until the saturation concentration is reached.

  For example, when the aquaculture device is configured using seawater, the fish 6 in the seawater consumes oxygen in the seawater by breathing, and then the liquid 6 is agitated by the migration of the fish, etc. When the dissolved gas concentration on the surface of the gas separation membrane 10 is lowered, new gas 14 is dissolved through the gas separation membrane 10.

  The saturated solubility of the gas 14 in the liquid 6 is determined by the pressure (concentration) of the gas in contact with the liquid 6.

  That is, when a high-concentration gas is supplied to the discharge unit 7, the dissolved gas concentration in the liquid 6 does not reach the saturation concentration, so the gas 14 is desorbed from the gas separation membrane 10 provided in the discharge unit 7, and the gas separation membrane The gas 14 is dissolved in the liquid 6 in contact with the liquid 10.

  Here, if there is no movement of the liquid 6 on the surface of the gas separation membrane 10, the dissolved gas concentration reaches a saturation concentration, and the gas 14 cannot be dissolved in the liquid 6, so that the gas 14 is prevented from passing through the gas separation membrane 10.

  Thereafter, when the liquid 6 having reached the saturation concentration in contact with the surface of the gas separation membrane 10 diffuses into the container 5 or the dissolved gas concentration on the surface of the gas separation membrane 10 is lowered by stirring the liquid 6, the gas 14 becomes a gas. It passes through the separation membrane 10 and dissolves in the liquid 6.

  As described above, by using the non-porous membrane gas separation membrane 10 made of a polymer, the liquid 6 portion and the gas 14 portion are separated from each other, so that the liquid 6 corresponds to the gas partial pressure of the gas 14 portion. Therefore, the liquid 6 satisfying a predetermined dissolved gas concentration can be obtained without generating bubbles or the like.

  Next, the gas supply means 8 will be described.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 1 shows an embodiment in which a gas cylinder is used as the gas supply means 8.
An advantage of using the gas cylinder is that it is possible to provide a liquid having a high dissolved gas concentration because the gas concentration is high.

  In addition, as long as the gas can be provided in a gas cylinder, various gases other than the above-described oxygen, for example, various gases such as nitrogen and carbon dioxide can be dissolved in the liquid.

(Example 2)
Next, the maintenance-free gas supply means will be described.

  FIG. 3 shows a gas separation unit 15 for separating a specific gas. The gas separation unit 15 includes a plurality of modules 18 each having a predetermined shape and a plurality of modules 18 formed by attaching a gas separation membrane 17 formed of a thin film mainly composed of a copolymer of polysiloxane and styrene to a nonwoven fabric on a frame-like support 16. The air intake 19 and the discharge 20 are formed in the gap between adjacent modules 18 which are stacked at intervals.

  The operation of the gas supply means using the gas separation unit 15 will be described with reference to FIGS.

  4 that have the same functions as those in FIG. 1 are given the same reference numerals, and descriptions thereof are omitted.

  Hereinafter, the case where oxygen is supplied to the liquid 6 will be described as an example.

  First, the pressure on the discharge port 20 side of the gas separation unit 15 is set to a low pressure using the pump 21.

  As a result, in the gas separation unit 15, high oxygen concentration air can be generated and discharged from the discharge port 20 by the pressure difference generated on both surfaces of the gas separation membrane 17 from the air sucked from the intake port 19 on the high pressure side. It becomes possible.

  Therefore, high oxygen concentration air can be supplied to the liquid 6 from the pump 21 through the discharge unit 7.

  When the gas supply means 8 using the gas separation unit 15 and the pump 21 described above is used, there is a drawback that the gas concentration is lower than when the gas cylinder shown in the first embodiment is used. In other gases, there can be expected a gas supply capacity that does not cause problems in actual use, such as a gas supply capacity that always maintains an oxygen concentration of 21%.

  On the other hand, as an advantage of using the gas supply means 8 described above, the gas cylinder shown in the first embodiment is limited, but this configuration does not require replacement of the gas separation unit 15 and the maintenance is limited. It can be made unnecessary.

  Therefore, when used in an aquaculture device, there is no need to worry about the remaining amount of gas cylinders even when the fish is moved for a long distance.

  Moreover, when it uses for the water tank which breeds a goldfish in a private house, even when it is absent for a long time trip, the effect that it is not necessary to care about the residual amount of a gas cylinder can be acquired.

  In Example 1 and Example 2, when the gas to be supplied is oxygen, the liquid 6 is in an oxygen-enriched state, and when carbon dioxide is supplied, the carbon dioxide is enriched.

  That is, the container 5 is made of stainless steel or a wooden bathtub, the liquid 6 is hot water, and the gas to be supplied is carbon dioxide, so that the hot water becomes carbon dioxide-enriched. Can be provided.

(Example 3)
Next, what is shown in FIG. 5 is to circulate the liquid 6 in the container 5 through the circulation path 23 using the pump 22.

  In general, such a device is provided with a filter (not shown) or the like in the circulation path 23. For example, when breeding goldfish or the like, a mechanism for cleaning goldfish buns or the rest of food. It has become.

  When the discharge unit 24 provided with the gas separation membrane of the present invention is installed in the circulation path 23, the liquid 6 whose gas concentration is always reduced is supplied to the discharge unit 24 via the pump 22. The gas dissolved on the surface of the provided gas separation membrane 25 will be carried into the container 5 one after another, and a gas supply device that can be expected to have an effect of promoting gas dissolution more than in the first and second embodiments. Can be provided.

Example 4
Next, what is shown in FIG. 6 is obtained by replacing the gas supply means 8 with the combination of the gas separation unit 15 and the pump 21 described in the second embodiment from the gas cylinder shown in the third embodiment.

  As its effect, as explained in Example 3, the dissolution of gas is promoted more than in Example 2, and it is excellent in maintainability than the gas cylinder which is a finite gas supply means in Example 3. That's what it means.

  In addition, in the figure, the gas cylinder filled with gas as an example of the gas supply means, and the combination of the gas separation unit and the pump are described. However, as long as the gas can be supplied to the discharge unit using a connecting pipe, It goes without saying that the same effect can be expected even if means are used.

  For example, in the case of oxygen, oxygen-enriched air generated from an oxygen-enriched air generator using the gas separation membrane of the present invention or high-concentration oxygen-enriched air generated by the PSA method may be used.

  The gas supply device of the present invention can be used as an aquaculture device or a water tank for living organisms such as fish.

Schematic which shows the aquaculture apparatus in one Example of this invention Sectional drawing which shows the gas separation membrane in one Example of this invention The perspective view which shows the gas separation unit in one Example of this invention Schematic which shows the aquaculture apparatus in the other Example of this invention. Schematic which shows the aquaculture apparatus in the other Example of this invention. Schematic which shows the aquaculture apparatus in the other Example of this invention. A perspective view showing a conventional oxygen supplier Sectional view showing a conventional breathable film

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 5 Container 6 Liquid 7 Release | release unit 8 Gas supply means 9 Connecting pipe 10 Gas separation membrane 22 Pump 23 Circulation path 24 Release | release unit 25 Gas separation membrane

Claims (1)

A container for storing a liquid, a gas supply unit including a gas separation unit using a gas separation membrane for separating a specific gas, supplying a gas to be contained in the liquid, and a pump; and the gas disposed in the container A discharge unit provided with a discharge unit for dissolving the gas into the liquid, and a connection pipe for introducing a gas from the gas supply means is connected to the discharge unit, and the gas separation unit is connected to the gas discharge unit. The gas supply apparatus characterized by providing and sealing the same gas separation membrane as the gas separation membrane used for the unit.

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